MARCH 19TH

LETTER-BOOK OF
CAPTAIN ALEXANDER McDONALD,OF THE
ROYAL HIGHLAND EMIGRANTS, 1775

To GENERAL GAGE.

to comply with this order
*** as *** acting Directly contrary, and in Downright Disobedience
of your Excellency's Orders, as we were sent here to recruit
men & as I think not to Do Duty till these men were armed,
clothed and taught a little knowledge of their Duty & the
*** their arms for they had not then begun to exercise nor was
there any non-commissioned ***, besides I must confess I was
a little *** to be put for a long course of time under the Command
of a justice of peace he as great a rebel as any in New england,
for many are disaffected in this province, and to follow implicitely
and punctually such ord***directions as that justice should give
me. The law here directs officers to assist Magistrates in Dispersing
and quelling mobs riots and tumults and not to *** without an
order from the Magistrate; from the above considerations I have
taken upon me to Disobey your Excys orders if I have Done amiss
I submitt intirely to your Excellency Superior judgment and wait
your farther orders, in regard to my future Con***

We are continually surprized
with various *** and no man can find out the author of them ***
ago it was said, That there was not the Biggness *** of any kind
Vessells from the Bay of Funday *** Southermost part of South
Carolina in any Creek or Corner but what our Navie has Destroyed
so that none of the Americans can Export or Import nor get as
much as one fish or oyster to eat and that all the Scho *** ferrie
Boats are Burnd Sunck and Destroyed every *** which *** stop
to all travelling and communication with *** it is also reported
that the North *** so that nothing can pass from the South to
the Northward or from the Northward to the Southward. Indeed
it was saide there was a thousand of the troops put on board
the best going frigats with flat Botum'd Boats, these frigats
flying from Place to place landing where they are lest Expected
Burning & Destroying *** wher ever they go, without even
a Risque of losing one man and that there is scarce a town within
rich of the men of war now standing in any of the Rebellious
parts of America by all *** ise manuvers *** a large tract of
land is secured for a mantinance of his Majesty's troops with
fresh provisions *** Staten island, Long island and all the lands
*** allongst the coast & by Securing the North river a Door
will be opened for all his Majesty's Dutifull and loyall Subjects
to com in besides geting a Vast Suply of wheat and fflower on
both sides of that river *** th all othere kinds of ffresh provisions
othere Pople may think what they Please it is my own opinion
that *** ight be Done one half Dozn
of armed Sloops and *** would Destroy all the Craft on that River
*** them from building any more from *** Hook to Albany taking
in Staten island they might Burn and Destroy Brunswick &
amboy for nothing can cure the Madness that prevealls all over
America but the Severest of usage.

To GENERAL GAGE.

SIR.

I have hitherto avoided troubling
your Excellency well knowing you have matters of much greater
weight & consequence than me and my recruiting party tothink of at present, tho' I have
not missed any opportunity of giving major Small an acount of
my Success. I am now forced in vindication of my Character and
Conduct to trouble your Excellency being informed that Governor
Legge has wrote Both against me and Capt. Batt in answer whatever
he has said of me I will only trouble your Excellency with a
simple Naration of Facts, in as few words as possible, viz: on
my first arivall in this Town I waited on Governor Legge and
Delivered your Excellency's letter, - he was very *** and assured
me he would assist all in his Power to promote the Service I
was sent upon, two Days after I waited on his Excellency &
Showed him my Beating orders, the Coppies I had of his Majestie's
Instructions, and Lord Dartmouth's letter to Governor Martin.
I asked his consent as Chief magistrate to Send a Sergt,
and a Drummer through the *** to Beat up for Volunteers, which
he readily agreed *** I as readily order'd to be Done by leave
of the *** ing officer of the Garrison, under whose Command ***
Diriction I looked on myself to be During my Stay*** in Consequence of this, I had
the good fortune to inlist *** men in one Day, a few Days after
I waited on Governor Legge in Company with Mr
Turner the paymr
Genl
as he could not advance me any money without an order from the
Governor, who to my great Surprize told me *** to send a Drum
through the Town any more nor gett the Smart Money from such
as would inlist and afterwards repenting & in order to please
him I consented to this *** tho I knew it to be Contrary to my
Beating orders and the articles of Warr. Governor Legg complained
that this Province was scarce of men and could not affoord any.
I could not help thinking that this Sudden Change was owing to
the advice of some People about his Excelency who had their own
Interest at heart much more than that of his Majesty's Service
- be that as it will the recruiting in this province is intirely
Stop'd from the very Circumstances above mentioned. Soon after
Governor Legge Showed me a letter from your Excelency desiring
he would take all the recruits rais'd in this province under
his care & see them Disciplin'd this was very agreeable to
me as I had wrott to Major Small to procure me an order for some
of the arms of the 77th regiment that were here in Store. I have
Received arms and my recruitts are Exercising twice every day
- alarms are here every *** othere *** Yankeys coming to attack
this province & Town and *** there can be but very little
Danger so long *** frigate with two tenders are kept in the Bay
of Funday which is a better guard and protection to this province
than a 1000 men would be; in consequence of this Capt
Batt and I was ordered to march to Windsor with our recruits
- we received this order very late at Night & were to march
very Early next Day.

To Col. ALLAN MACLEAN.

Halifax 15 Septr
75

DEAR COLONEL

I am happy to Understand by
a letter directed to Lieut
Neal McLean that you are safely Arrived at Quebec. I was greatly
afraid that you had fallen into the hands of the Rebles, having
never herd of you since you left Boston till now, for which Reason
I could never render you an Account of my own Proceedings, Not
knowing how or where to direct for you with Safety, you have
no doubt heard of what happened the very day after your Departure.
I need not Trouble you with the Particulars as I dare say you
have heard them already, wee got a Victory but verry Dearly bought
it.

Two days after I was ordered
to this Place all in a hurry. Major Small was with Genl
Howe and so constantly Employ'd, that he had scarce time to Eat
Drink or Sleep, so that I was Oblig'd to leave Boston without any directions from him,
Only a letter from Genl
Gage to Governor Legge, and a Nother to the PayMr
General to furnish me with mony from time to time, as I should
have Success in the Recruiting Service. Ye
Governor at first promis'd me all the Assistance in his *** &
gave me Leave to Beat through the Town for Volunteers, in consequence
of which I Listed Seven men in One Day - I sent young McDonald
to ye
Island of St John - By him I have wrote to Lieut
McLean who was at *** Desiring him to Render me in, an Account
of his Success at the same Letting him know, that he was no more
under the Command of Capt
Batt: and as he had Received fifty Pounds Sterling; Upon his
Arrival at this Place, desir'd he would furnish McDonald with
sum if he had Occasion to Call for itt, he Refus'd to give him
a farthing, Nor has he ever sent me in a Scrape of a Pen and
I am told he has not yet listed One Man. I have sent and Express
to him this Verry Day.

At the same time as I sent
McDonald to St
Island, I sent Mr
Campbell, a Son of Robert Campbell, Merchant in this Town, a
Brisk young Lad, who is almost mad to be in our Corps all over
the Country and he soon got me Twelve Men, that and my own Success
in the Town gave me great hopes of being able to do something,
but Governor Legge Changing his Mind soon stopp'd my Carear,
my Serjeant and Drum went but one Day through the Town, when
he told me I must not send them any more, nor yett take Smart
Money from any One, thus was I forc'd to Act contrary to my Beating
Order & the Articles of War, Nor could I help myself when
he Shew me a Letter from the Commander in Chief, wherein all
Recruiting Parties were put under his Care & Directions.
I Represented all this to Major Small but has not yet Got any
answer, But I Believe the Contents of *** Letter to Lieut
McLean will make me go to B***ton and Try if I can Gett one of
the Transports to Carry what Men is there and here to Quebec
and in our Way totouch
at Newfoundland, where wee will have a Good Chance abought the
10th
of October, but not sooner as the Fishing Bussiness will not
Break up till then. What Men that are on the Island of St
Johns are already Engaged with Glenaladall, who is now here with
me, also young Mcdonald, with whom he came, he will Write to
you by this opportunity and from the Contents of his Letter I
will Leave you to judge what sort of a Man he is.

I send you Inclosed a Discription
Roll of what Men I have. If young Campbell will be one of our
Corps, I think it best to leave him here all Winter, as his father
his Uncle & himselfs are thoroughly well acquainted all over
this Province, he will be able to Put up a good many Men all
Winter. I hope Genl
Gage will put a Stop to the Governor's Opposition. This being
all that Occurs at Present I Remain Dear Sir,

Yrs,
&c

A M D

To COLL
A. McLEAN.

Halifax 14th Sept
1775

DEAR COLL.

Since my last of the 1st
Sept pr
favour of Mr
Cleaveland nothing Extraordinary has hapened. just as I was ready
to sett off for Boston I received information that 30 or 40 Recruits
were coming to me from Boston by the first oportunity, this made
me lay aside my Voiage to Boston as I did not think it proper
to be out of the way when these Men should arrive, and I expect
them every moment, in the meantime will send MrMcLennon to Newfoundland, and
*** green to what furthere Instructions I will receive alongst
with the Men. Will I have instructions from you.

A gentleman Waited on me here
yesterday and this Morning, one Collin Campbell. I thought at
first he had a mind to list, but found out he wanted to shew
me a Memoriall he was to send Genl
Gage, in whichhe sett
forth, he had been an Ens
in the fencible Men of argyll, that he was afterwards recomended
by the Earle of Bradalbin to a Commission in your former
***, that you stop'd his Commission
in the warr office eithere from Spight or Lucrative View, that
he sent you a Challene which you refused, but took the law of
him and after a fair trayall you was obliged to pay him Three
Hundred Pouns Damages, in short he prayed to be provided for
in any of his Majestys Regts
except that which was now Raising and to be Commanded by his
inveterate Enemie, Coll Allan McLean; he told me that this affair
Cost him 500£ and you a 1000£. I told him he might
act as he pleased in regard to Giving a Memoriall to the Genll
but that he should not by any Means mention your Name in it,
or any part of the Despute as very Likely you would give quite
a Different account of it. So I got Clear of him and told him
I did not think that any Officer serving in the fencible men
could Clame any Rank as they had no half pay or ever left the
Kingdom on Service.

TO MAJOR SMALL.

Halifax 15. Sepr
1775

DEAR SIR

I Received your favour by
Ensign McDonald. I don't doubt of your being greatly hurried,
yet the affairs of our Chore Requires a good deal of attention,
as for Mr
Legg I pay no Sort of reguard to his orders. I List men when
and where I can find them, and would beat up through Hallifax,
if I had a proper Serjeant, and a drummer for that business and
I beg you will endeavour to get a smart cleaver man to be a serjeant
Major, and another a Quarter Master Serjeant a good drum major
and a phife, with as many other Serjeants and Corporals, as you
can get, among the army for you know there is no possibility
of forming a young Chore and bringing them to the knowledge of
their duty without a number of old Experienced non Commissioned
as well as Commissioned Officers, I think an adjutant and Quarter
Master should be at headquarters, a pay Master must be appointed
to the Regiment, and an ajent In London, for the officers to
draw their subsistance, Mr Turner will not issue but for the
mens subsistance, you know the officers must have subsistance
as well as the bounty money and great sums must be Laid out immediately
to Cloath the men, which I will endeavour to do with as Little
Expence as possible, and as uniform as I can which will be as
follows, a west Coat of spotted swan skin, Light infantry fashion,
with sleeves of the same, white breeches of Coarse strong thick
Cloth Coarse thick stockings, blue Leggings, that will come up
near the Crotch, and garters of red tape tyed below the knee,
such of them as have any Coats worth the altering will be made
short for them and patched in the best manner we can, and a blanket
coat overall, with a Cannadian cap, as you prescribed before,
and their own old hatts brimmed in the neatest manner as can,
so far, for men's dress. I beg Mrs
McDonalds Letters may be carefully sent I have avoided writing
to her about any polliticks, but desired her to Leave that
place and come to me, if she finds it so disagreeable that she
cannot stay and am afraid the Rebells would Lay hold of her and
the children, and keep them by way of hostages, 'till they can
get me in their hands, as I am informed by the Last Letters I
received, that Sentance of death is passed upon me by all means,
whatever comes of others, the method contrived by my neighbour
Mersereaux is to skin me alive when he catches me. We heard of
Hammonds putting up a gallows fifty Cubits high.

You never wrote me about Buchannon
of the 64th, whom I inlisted here and desired you to Settle with
Colonel Lessly. In reguard of him, he has been in the hospital
these six Weeks past and is now under Sallavation, Captain Frazer
and Lt
Fletcher in the Isleandof
St
Johns are constantly drawing on me for money, and as I told you
before am oblidged to beg and borrow, among all my acquaintances
and draw upon you rather than Let the money go from here to Boston,
I have drawn on you Lately for twenty Six pounds Sterling in
favour of McMaster. I am Sorry for poor Angues McDonalds fate
I wish some ways or meanscould
be Contrived to exchange him. I understandBlack and all black is Come to you again, and wants
to be a Commissioned Officer I hear, pray is any thing done for
Alexr McDonald of the 38th
I am sorry that Randolph is going back for I think him very fit
in being an adjutant. If I dont see a Particular Gentleman appointed
the first Captn
in the Regiment I'll be very angry. I say no more but wish you
all happiness.

To MR. OGILVIE.

Halifax 3 November
1775

SIR.

Received your favour of the
7th June Covering a Copy of the report of the board of trade
and plantations about our Lands but its needless to say a word
Upon that head Until the affairs of America are Setled, for nobody
in America can boast of having any property at present, you will
no doubt be Surprized at not hearing from me oftner, but when
I tell you that I was forced to Leave my own house the Latter
end of may Last, rather than be forced to Sign an asociation
with Rebels, contrary to my honour and my Conscience, you will
I hope excuse this Neglect. I have however Sent you my afidavid
for my half Pay, but as it was by a vessell bound for a Distant
part of Great Britain from London I Send you a Copy of it - You
must know before now that there was a Schame on foot to raise
a Battalion in America to be commanded by Major Small in which
I was to be a Capt
- this I wrote you before & put you on your Guard to tray
to Get the agency of it when Collolnell McLean cameover he had orders to raise a Battalion
of Highland Emigrants in America and Genll
Gage in order to Serve Major Small joined both Battalions under
the command of Coll McLean but Major Small to be Major Commandant
of one of them. Coll. McLean and I were to get here from New
York to Boston and after Sattling maters he went Back to New
York, Major Small was necessarily Detaind
at Boston as his Servise was most wanted there. I as oldest Capt
was order'd to this Place to Superintend and Command all the
recruiting Partys in this Province and I have my hands so full
to Do that I have Scarce time to write you this leter, but in
Short you will Draw my Half Pay as usuall to the 24th
June last as our Commissions was not out then which I hope will
Bring you and I upon a parr or at lest very near it. You will
be pleased when you receive this Let me have a little state of
our affairs, if you should be appointed agent for our Regiment
as I hope you may, and I Continue paymaster, we shall have a
good deal more dealings; for I dont doubt in the Least but our
Regiment will be kept up after this wicked wanton and Unnatural
Rebellion is quiet. I have no news but what you hear from the
publick prints, we are informed by the Last vessels from Boston,
that the Rebels were preparing to storm that town and the whole
army seems to wish they did as they would meet with such a warm
Reception as I hope it would put an end to this of all other
wars the most disagreeable to all officers and men in the British
Army; time will not permit me to write any more but that I am
with sincere reguard and Esteem Sir Your real friend & Humble
Servt.

To MESSRS. WALTER
& THOs. BUCHANNON.

4th Novemr 1775

GENTLEMEN -

I should have done myself
the pleasure to write to you and many of my good and worthy friends
at NewYork if I was not
afraid that you are holding a Correspondance with so odious a
person as I must be to your Congress, might be ill Constructed
by them, but I am determined to say nothing about politicks,
I can only declare with truth, that I feel as much for the unhappy
State of America and the miseries that I foresee they are to
suffer, should they Continue obstinate, as the parliament of
Great Brittain has at Last formed a resolution to reduce this
unhappy though once the happiest Country in the world to a due
subordination and obedience to their Laws, and they have Ingeaged
all powers in Europe, not only to stand neuter during the Contest
but to afford them every asistance they should have occasion
for and a great number of foreign troops are Landed in England.
It is thought by this time, the greatest preparations are Making
by Sea and Land, that ever was known in England. I wish to god
every vessel you have in the world were in the way of being taken
into the Kings Service, as I believe it Would be the most profitable
and saifest way in my Opinion you could employ them, and if you
can think of any way that I can be of Service to you, point it
out to me and you may depend on my endeavours to serve you.I have no news to trouble you
with further, only we hear from Canada that a smart ingeagment
has happened between Brigadr
Prescot Commanding His Majestys troops at St
Johns East End of Lake Champlain and Mr
Schuyler and Mr
McGimery whom you Call Generals, and who has been most Severely
drubbed by GeneralPrescott
and one thousand of their men killed dead on the Spot whether
this account be true or false, I do not know, but I have seen
a very minute Circumstantial account of it in three diffrent
Letters to Gentlemen in this town, there is a fleet of twelve
ships and Six thousand men is hourly expected if not already
Landed In Boston, one of the men of war arrived here the day
before Yesterday, who brought all the news Ihave wrote you from Europe - - Mr
James McDonald drew on you in favour of Capt William McLeod for
all the ballance due of the Eight hundred pounds he had Lodged
in your hands and he has since sent an order to my wife to receive
the money, either from Captn
McLeod or you, in case you had Not paid it to Captn
McLeod and the moment we receive an account of Mrs
McDonald being in possession of the money, I shall satisfy Mr
McDonald here, I should be glad of having the pleasure of hearing
from you, and know how matters are going on there, we are told
that a great number of the people of Long Island has taken up
arms for the Crown, and joined Governor Tryon, but there is such
a multitudes of falshoods Going about that we can scarce believe
any thing but what we See with our Eyes or hear with our Ears.

Pray for god sake Let me know,
why the people of New York and thereabouts has pronounced Sentance
of death on me, is it because I would not offer such violence
to my honour and Conscience as to falsify my oath of fidelity
and allegiance and take up arms against a Master whom I have
served for thirty years and in a Cause of which I always entertained
a bad Opinion and always beleived, and does now, that it will
terminate in the destruction of the Authors of it, for which
I am very sorry, they should Merit the treatment I am afraid
they will meet with, I am not an Enemy to any individual upon
Earth, nor have a Grudge against any, and I dont wish to meet
my friends or old acquaintanes in a place where they or I must
fall, yet I am determined to be true to the trust reposed in
me, and discharge my duty with honour or as Long as I Live and
Whoever Criminal the friends of the Congress may think this Conduct
in me, why should an innocent woman with her Children be troubled
as my wife was soon after my Coming away from Staten Island.
A parcel of fellows went to my house with more than Savage rudeness,
rummaged the house as they pretended for arms, swore they would
have me dead or alive, and frightned her out ofher Senses, by whose order they went,
I am not ableto Learn,
but whoever ordered them he is not a sound pollitician for I
think he had better secure my friendship than by this behavior
making me a more Inveterate Enemy than otherwise I might be.
The affairs of America are far from being settled and it is as
hard to know how Matters will turn out, and upon the whole Ithink they might as well make
me a friend as force me to be a more inviterate Enemy than otherwise
I should incline to. I'll Cut short and Say No more on this Subject,
but that I wish to god a Mode of reconciliation between Great
Brittain & her Colonies Consistent with the dignity and Grandeur
of Great Brittain as well asthe
intrest and happiness of America -

Give my kind and affectionate
Compliments to both your Ladies and such of my own friends as
you think will be glad to hear when I am well, I am with Sincere
reguard,

Your friend and well wisher.

To MAJOR SMALL.

Halifax 5th Novemr
1775

DR
MAJOR

After what I already have
wrote by Ensign McDonald I can have but Litle to say now, only
that I can miss no opportunity of writing to you, and repeat
whatI so often asked
for before vizt a general Warrant to receive Money when it is
wanted and to send down from boston If possible the Cloathing
of some of thoseRegments
going home, and a great Many other Necessarys, in Case you dont
Expect the Cloathing of the Regiment Soon, and for godsake send
me a List of theCaptains
and subalterns appointed to Each Captain as it is Impossible
to Make out Monthly Returns, or do any thing Else with any degree
of Regularity till we are formed Into Some sort of order. I have
formedthe Men here Into
Companies as you desired, one Company for YrSelf
one for me, and a third for, Captn
Campbell I reckon the Men he has with him, in the strength of
these three Companies. I made out a sort of monthly return for
Col Gorham, In the best Manner I Could a Copy of which I send
you Inclosed. I reckon Each Captn
own Recruits in their own Companys, and I Keep a seperate book
for Each Companys Accounts. As I have no opportunity but very
seldom of writing to Coll McLean you will be pleased to Let him
know what we are about - and send him a Copy of this Return if
You think it proper. Pray send down the Doctor, the QrMaster
& the adjutant, and Every man Serjeants Corporals Drummers
& private you can Scrape together. Send Some Drumms and phifes
as I have got a parcel of fine pretty boys to be taught, if the
Yankees has attacked the town I hope to receive good news farewell
God bless you & believe me to be.

To MAJOR SMALL.

Halifax 15th Novemr
1775

DR
MAJOR

This Will be delivered you
by Serjeant Dutchin of the 65th Regiment, Captn
Batt is arrived salfe at Last, and brought me forty nine men,
which with five more, that Mr
McKinnon inlisted at diffrent times makes out fifty four which
he has inlisted. I continue them under his Command 'till I hear
from you and know whether he is to be a Captain Or not, and I
must say, if he is not, that he is unjustly dealt with, his former
Services, his activity in getting so many men and his personal
qualifications Entitles him to a Company. Mr
McDonald of Glenaladale staid behind at Newfoundland and by the
Last accounts from him he and one Lt
Fitzgerald had Six and thirty men. I dont doubt by this time
his having as many more, he is determined to make out his Number
Cost what it will, and I hope you will make out a Commission
in his brother Donald's name. You was pleas'd In one ofyour Letters, to Express your
great hopes and Expectations from the Clann of McDonalds. I wish
with all my heart we Could bring together the Number that was
proposed of them, and I am much mistaken if you would have any
Cause of repenting any favour you could do one of them. I wish
to god you may get A parcel of good Serjeants and Corporals out
of the Army, and if his Excellency General How should approve
of it, I think it would be Consistent with the good of the service
to distribute our Awkward men among the diffrent Regiments In
the whole Army, they could much sooner disciple a few in each
Chore than we can bring the whole to any sort of order, or make
them fit for Service and by giving us right discipled men in
return we might be formed and ready to enter upon any Service,
with the Rest of His Majestie's troops - In order I suppose that
they may all have a throw at the dice for their Rank when they
Come together and by that means Alexr McDonald will probably
have the good Look to be the very Youngest of them Notwithstanding
Major Smalls promise and Colonel McLeans both to the Contrary,
and indeed Under Coll McLeans hand write in the beating orders
he gave me I shall write however to General How and make a clear
representation of all my past services and the trouble I have
taken with this affair from first to Last and if his Excellency
grants me no sort of redress I will by all thats good and Sacred
Lay an Humble Memorial at the foot of the throne setting forth
all the Scandalous partialities that are used in the Army and
how the Selling and buying of Commissions are become a mere traffick
when a Captn
in the Army Sells his Commission he sells his rank by what means
or justice any Such shall come over the heads of old Captns
Lieutenants and people who has served above thirty years in the
army from first to Last. I am far from blaming Major Dunbar for
accepting of a Commission of the oldest Captain of a Chore and
he is a man that I have the Sincerest reguard for and the highest
opinion of his merit, and I believe is worthy of every promotion
in the Army without any prejudice to others but if he were my
own brother I Could not help Complaining at this time. I must
Confess that I am prettily Served Indeed, for my Loyalty and
attachment to government for my Long Services above thirty years
for running all Last winter on business of this Regiment and
at Last forsaking my wife and children whom I Left destitute
of Money or any other releif and now not in my power to releive
her insulted and ill treated on my account to Such a degree that
the very Last Letters I had from her, gives an account of her
having miscarried after Six Months gone with Child through Mere
heart break discontent and villains round about her threatening
to do this and that burning the house and I do not know what
I am afraid its impossible to get her from there this winter
and its as impossible for me to remit her any money without you
can think of some ways or Means of remitting her forty or fifty
pounds Stirling. Charge it to my Account for Subsistance. I'll
trouble you no more only to Let you know that I beleive I'll
draw upon you for a few more Dollars. I am sorry to tell you
Serjt
SinClair Serjt
McArthur and one Corpl
McQuinn a rascal I inlisted here all three Highlanders are the
most unruly drunken rascals I have in the whole recruits and
I was obliged to Lay hands on McMillan even before I brought
him to some order. McArthur and SinClair fought the other day
and were both Confined after they got Sober was kept one night
in the guard I gave them both a severe reprimand and desired
them to forgive one another and Make friends. McArthur insisted
on a Court Martial. I told them they may both depend on being
broke and may be receive Corporal punishment besides when I told
them what A pretty figure two highland Serjeants would shew to
all the rascals in this place stripped at the whipping post after
being broke and I swore to them by a most violent oath that it
Certainly would bethe
Case if they did not forgive one another and promise never to
be guilty of the Like again finding I was in Earnest and their
honours touched up a Litle they thought proper to Setle Matters
amongst themselves and are now upon their good behaviour. What
trouble I have with them all god knows but I would think nothing
of trouble in promoting the Service did I meet but with Common
justice. I have thirty or forty however of men fit to do duty
in any garrison if they were Clothed. Though the ground is all
over Covered with deep Snow here we have them out thrice a day
while the weather is fair and I asure you they fully Surpass
my Expectations at first and their behaviour begins to be pretty
decent - the bearer of this is Lieutt
Blecher of the 65th Regiment a young gentlemen worthy of your
Acquaintance and one that I could wish above all I know to be
a Lieutenant and Adjutant in any Chore that I had any connection
with as I know him to be equal in that duty as any I know in
his Majesties Service.

Ranold McKinnan swears he
will sell all the men he has raised to Coll
Gorham and return all the money he received of us. Pray who is
this John Naron that is appointed Captain in our Regiment. I
would be glad to know what number of men he has raised and I
think Mr
Alexr
Campbell is pretty well rewarded for breaking his Leggs the 17th
and with Submission to your better judgment I think Ranold McKinnon
had a better title to the Captn
Lieutenancy at Least than Daniel Robinson as for all the McDonalds
in America they may Curse the day that was born as being the
means of Leading them to ruin from my Zeal and attachment for
government poor Glanaldall I am afraid is Lost as there is no
account of him since a small Schooner Arrived which brought an
account of his having Six & thirty men then and if he should
Not be Lost he is unavoidably ruined in his Means all those up
the Mohawk river will be tore to pieces and those in North Carolina
the same so that if Government will Not Consider them when Matters
are Settled I think they are ill treated. McNeil McLean came
down here I believe fully determined to Call me out as he says
for writing to you or General How that he was going to join the
Rebells which you know I never did only what you know he told
me out of his own mouth that he was going to Quebec by the way
of Fort Cumberland through the woods at which time I told him
that he Certainly would be taken up by the Rebells as it was
reported at that time that fifteen hundred of them was upon that
very communication and that I thought it was best for him to
go by the island of St
Johns join Captn
Frazer & Lt
Fletcher who were then recruiting on that Island and with them
he might go to Quebec as they had a transport there. He said
no he would go much quicker through the woods and as for the
Yankys he was not afraid of them that he could make his way through
them. He seemed to be very angry with Coll
McLean for not giving him a Company. From these circumstances
I could not but Entertain a strange Notion of his behaviour and
I told him since he came here Last that his asking Leave of G
How to go to Quebec by the way of N York together with what passed
between him and I before was enough to render him Suspicious
to Every body he might Say or think what he would. I suppose
the Surgeon of the Regt
will think it hard to pay 3 S a day to the Gentleman who attends
our Men here and yet I Cannot bear to See the Men die for the
want of Asistance pray what is the admiral and his fleet about
here is the whole Coast Invested with privateers all the way
up to the river St
Lawrence and I believe all the people upon the Island of St
Johns are Ruined they have Landed there destroyed Governor Pattersons
house took Lt
Governr
Mr
Cole Beck and others prisoners and I suppose there is no going
betwixt this and Boston with Salfety they have taken several
Schooners and Vessells and I am afraid poor McDonald is fallen
into their hands.Its
reported there is 44 privateere ships brigs & schooners fitted
out on the whole Continent - for god sake send some Cloath made
or unmade for the men who are most of them Starving for the want
of it. I Cannot recollect any more I am Dr
Sir

Your Humble Servt

To GENL HOWE.

Halifax 30th 9ber
'75

SIR

Though I have not the honr
to be known to you I beg Leave to trouble your Excellency at
this time with an Narration of facts part of which I think are
Grievances. I have Served My King & Country now going on
thirty one Years and have been in the most active Services during
the Last war both on the Continent of America and in the west
indies and wasSeverely
wounded, was reduced a Captain Lieutenant of the Late 77th Regiment
which was Commanded by Coll
M'Gomery Now Lord Eglinton having Settled in America after the
Reduction and when it was apprehended that Millitary force was
required to inforce the Stamp Act. I then in the year 1766 made
offer of my Service to General Gage. Last October was a year
when I found the people of America were determind
on Rebellion, I wrote to Major Small desiring he would acquaint
General Gage that I was ready to join the Army with a hundred
as good men as any in America, the General was pleased to order
the Major to write and return his Excellency's thanks to me for
my Loyalty and spirited offers of Service, but that he had not
power at that time to grant Commissions or raise any troops;
however the hint was impproved and A proposal was Sent home to
Government to raise five Companies and I was in the mean time
ordered to ingeage as many men as I possibly Could. Accordingly
I Left my own house on Staten Island this same day year and travelled
through frost snow & Ice allthe way to the Mohawk river,
where there was two hundred Men of my own Name, who had fled
from the Severity of their Landlords in the Highlands of Scotland,
the Leading men of whom most Chearfully agreed to be ready at
a Call, but the affair was obliged to be kept a profound Secret
till it was Known whether the government approved of the Scheme
and otherwise I could have inlisted five hundred men in a months
time, from thence I proceeded straight to Boston to know for
Certain what was done in the affair when General Gage asur'd
me that he had recommended it to the Ministry and did not doubt
of its Meeting with approbation. I Left Boston and went home
to my own house and was ingeaging as Many men as I Could of those
that I thought I Could intrust but it was not possible to keep
the thing Long a Secret when we had to make proposals to five
hundred men; in the Mean time Coll
McLean arrived with full power from Government to Collect all
the Highlanders who had Emigrated to America Into one place and
to give Every man two hundred Acres of Land and if need required
to give Arms to as many men as were Capable of bearing them for
His Majestys Service. Coll
McLean and I Came from New York to Boston to know how Matters
would be Settled by Genl
Gage: it was then proposed and Agreed upon to raise twenty Companies
or two Battalions Consisting of one Lt Colonl
Commandant two Majors and Seventeen Captains, of which I was
to be the first, or oldest Captain and was Confirmed by Coll
McLean under his hand writeing in the beating order he gave me.
I now See by a List that came here of ten Companies that Coll
McLeans, Major Smalls and Wm
Dunbars Commissions are dated the 13th June and all the rest
of the Captains dated the 14th, I suppose to Settle their Ranks
when they Come together by a throw of the dice and I may have
the good Look to be the youngest in place of the oldest Captain
in the Regt
Captn
Dunbar Sold his Company Som'time agoe and ofCourse his rank of the Army the same time and I think
it hard that he should be now put over my head after all my Services,
and the trouble I have taken from first to Last about this Regiment.
I am now going on to fifty Years of Age and if my Loyalty and
Long Services are to be rewarded In this Manner I have but a
poor Chance of dying a field officer. I am far from blaming Major
Dunbar for accepting of the oldest Company I know he has merit
to deserve Every promotion that Can be given him. without prejudice
to others, there are few people I wish better than he but if
it were my own brother I Could not help Complaining this time.
I beg Your Excellency's pardon for this trouble and with Calm
Submission wait for your Excellency's determination in the affair
and I am with due reguard & Esteem Your Excellency's Most
Obedt
and Most Humble Servt__

P.S. I Refer Your Excellency
for a Character of Me to Brigadr
Grant under whose Command I had the honr
to Serve before Now.

To GENL GRANT.

Halifax 3d Xber
1775

SIR.

I should long Eer now have
done myself the pleasure of writing to you, had I any thing of
the Least Importance to Communicate and knowing that at this
time you've other things to think of of much greater Consequence
than any thing I could write from this place, what induces me
to trouble you at this time, is to Sollicit your kind interposition
with G How to redress a peice of Injury done to me in reguard
to my Rank in this Regiment. Besides my Long Services of about
one & thirty years, I have taken more pains about the raising
of this Chore than any other person Concernd
in it. I have Sacrificed my wife & four Children & all
I had in the world to Contribute all in my power for the Service
of my King & Country. Iwas
promised to be the oldest Captain in this Regiment and now I
find that Major Wm
Dunbar is put over my head, a Gentleman who a few years agoe
Sold his Company and of Course his Rank and I think it very hard
and very unjust that he should take rank of me, notwithstanding
I have a Sincere Reguard for him and think him worthy of every
Step that can be given him without prejudice to others; this
is the Grievance that I Complain of, and You're the only officer
of rank in the Army that I have the Least dependance upon I hope
you'll Use your Intrest to See me Redressed. I will not incroach
upon Your patience any further if I Can be of any Service to
you in this province You may freely Command me, and believe me
to be with Sincere Reguard and Esteem - Sir

Your Most Obedt
and
Most Humble Servant

To MAJOR SMALL.

3 Xber 1775

DR MAJOR

Since my Last of the 29th
per favor of Lt Blecher of the 65th Brigr
Genl
Massey with the 27th Regimt Arrived here from Ireland, he was
informed soon after his Landing that our Chore was without either
Cloathing or Commissions, the design of this report I suppose
was to make us as mean as possible how soon I heard it I ordered
Ensigns Hambleton and Roberts to dress themselves as well as
they Could, put their Commissions in their pockets & Come
along with me as they were the only two who has got Commissions.
I brought them to the General told him that such a report had
come to my Ears and that I brought these Gentlemen to him to
Convince him that we had Commissions and Cloathing both and that
we were as much a Chore as any other under the Crown and hope
we should meet with the Same treatment with any other: he behaved
with the Uttmost politeness,begged
of me to take no Notice of it and that I might depend upon every
kind usage in his power as much as any other under his Command,
but I have been Informed Since from Good Authority that there
is Another Motion in Agitation vizt
to Send Coll
McLeans Chore bodily up to Windsor 45 miles off to be Lodged
in Barracks not fit for hoggs and Impossible to be Repaired in
any other Manner than to knock them down and to build them anew
N B the General Lodges at the Governers house & you know
I disobeyed a particular Gentlemans orders before in this respect.
You see how far people in high Stations Can Carry their Resentment
however I shall see General Massey and represent Matters to him
in Such a Light as I hope will put a stop to this project - you
know as well as I the Situation we are in, in want of Cloathing
and Every thing Else that a Soldier ought to have, of Course
very Unfit to travel 45 miles. I would write to Angius McDonald
if I was Not in Expectation of seeing him every moment. Since
I began to write this Letter who should appear but Mr
Quin your Surgeon's Mate that deserted. I have ordered him to
the blackhole and to be hand Cufft till I know what General Massey
will order to be done he insists that he ingeaged on Condition
to be Surgeons Mate and indeed the Letter you sent down by himself
to me recommends him in the Strongest terms to be a Surgeons
Mate and in your Letter by SinClair you tell me that it was an
Entire Mistake and a thing you never Meant - how to deal with
him I do not know, its my opinion he will get Clear. I wish to
god you would get yourself disingeaged from one half of the multiplicity
of business you have in hands and save Sometime to pay some attention
to the affairs of this Regt
if it is to be one 'tis reported here, for Certain that they
are to be without rank or pay, this Account Come from very Good
Authority in boston. I will Say no more but that I Am Dr
Major Your most distressed humble Servt.

To GENL
MASSEY.

Halifax 4th Xber
1775

SIR

This Morning I understood
that an officer was ordered to windsor to Examin the state of
the barracks there that they Might be repaired in order to receive
the four Companies of Coll
McLeans Regiment here. I am ready to march wherever You think
proper to order me, but I think its my duty to inform you of
the state of our men, we are without Cloathing of any Kind, nor
Necessaries no Knapsacks, no haversacks, shirts, shoes, stockings,
in short every thing that a Soldier ought to have, except the
rags they had on when they inListed and we want sixty stand of
Arms to Compleat us. Mr
Morden told me there was no Cartouch boxes to be had at all,
this is our Situation at present but Expects all our Cloathing
Every hour having Certain intelligence of its being put on board
at Glascow about the begining of Septemr
Last. Governor Legg issued an order in Council for Captn
Batt of Coll
Gorhams and Myself to march to Windsor at a time when each of
us had not above one dozen of Men both of us refused to go, not
Looking upon ourselves as a part of this Garrison to do duty
being without Cloathing, Arms or discipline the Governor was
mightily affronted and spoke to Captn
Batt and me both in terms we did not expect from a Gentleman
in his high Station, he wrote to General Gage and we did the
Same, our Conduct was approved of & the Governor was ordered
to Let us alone. About a month agoe I went up to Windsor with
Lieut Spaight of the 65th and Lieut Smelt of the 14th we went
on purpose to review the barracks and found them unfit to shelter
a dog a Gentleman had a reguard for and in my opinion out of
the power of the best Carpenters in America to repair them in
any other way than knocking them down and making them up a new;
if thebarracks were as
good as they are here or any way tenantable I would as soon Live
there as in this town. This is the Situation of our Chore which
is most Humbly represented to your Consideration.

I am Sir Your Most obedt
Humble Servt

To CAMPBELL &
JAS. McDONALD.

Halifax 24th december
1775

GENTLEMEN

A few days agoe a paquet arrived
from England, with Letters to Governor Legg Impowering him to
raise a thousand men in this province, in Consequence of which
we are stopt from Recruiting till further orders both Colonel
Gorhams and Our Regiment, but these men of the Governors are
to be only as Provincial Millitia, these officers not Entitled
to rank or half pay, it is my orders therefore that you do Immediately
repair to this place with what men you have, but should you have
any information about the deserters you are to use your uttmost
Endeavours to apprehend them, you may tell all those that are
any ways inclined to Inlist with us Espescialy all the Scotch
men that they will Certainly be forced to inlist with the Governor
as he has Declared Martial Law and the best thing they can do
is to go to the island of St
Johns as soon as the weather will permit in the Spring and Upon
a Second Thought I think one or both of you should Remain in
the Country on purpose to Sound the people and Espescialy as
I am Certain you can Live much Cheaper there than in town, in
the mean time one of you should come in to Receive more particular
Instructions, you are to be very watchfull and diligent to find
out all you can Concerning the Rebels and the Sentence as to
of the people in the Country of which you are to make a true
and faithfull report you will miss No opportunity of writing
or even sending one of your Men Express if need requires it after
you have perused this Letter Throw it in the fire, I am Gentlemen

Yours Sincerely

TO MAJOR SMALL.

Halifax 24th decemr
1775

DEAR MAJOR.

Two days agoe a paquet arrived
here from falmouth in Old England with dispatches to Governor
Legg with full power and instructions to raise a thousand men,
for which Arms Clothing & Camp Equipage is hourly Expected
they are to be paid by Government during their Service but not
Entitled to Rank or half pay this is in Consequence of Governor
Leggs Representations of Last August to General Gage and backed
by General Gage to the ministry and it remains no Longer a Secret
why he used his uttmost Endeavours to frustrate the Service that
we were upon and we are now by publick orders from General Massey
strictly forbid to inlist a man till further Orders which will
be a great Loss to our Corps as I Expected to inlist fifty men
against May day and if the Governor will raise three hundred
men in three years I will Give my head for a foot ball. Colonel
Gorham told me that he had orders when he Left Boston to take
four hundred of the Millitia of this town under his Command as
it was then Reported it seems to the Commander in Chief that
such A Number was doing duty here which was a base falshood as
there never was to my knowledge above forty or fifty of them
together on one parade they mounted guard here for about five
or Six Days in September or October Last, since which I Never
Saw three of them together. I hope you will use your Uttmost
Endeavours to obtain an order from General How for going on with
our Service as we are much more Likely to be Successfull than
Governor Legg and I dare say at Least will prove as Serviceable.
I also hope that you will not fail to represent our Success to
General Gage and the Ministry at home. If I am properly Supported,
and the officers has their Commissions, transports and provisions
at Command as early as the weather will permit in the Spring
to go to Newfound Land I will Ingeage to Compleat the Regiment,
but I must not be Crampt for these Articles and Money as I am
at present with a full power and a positive order from the Commander
in Chief to the Governor or Commanding Officer In Newfound Land
that we shall meet with no hindrance or Mollestation whatsoever
in Carrying on the Service which must be had else we do nothing.
I must say that no man was ever Used worse than I am for want
of the Necessary asistance there is about fourteen or fifteen
hundred pound Sterling wanting to Clear the two hundred men and
the officers here on the Spot together with the Expences backward
& forward to New found Land transporting the men here. The
men are grumbling and Not without great Reason indeed, no Cloathing
no pay, if they were to desert to a man to Morrow what will you
do to them you cannot even so much as find fault with them and
here I am without power to draw money nor a regular warrant to
receive money from the paymaster General, obliged to run the
risque of my neck borrowing money in order to Endeavour to keep
them together. I have been Expecting the Cloathing this four
weeks past together with the quarter Master, adjutant & Surgeon
at the Regiment together with Every other Relief that was wanting
but I am hitherto Disapointed and we are all hands alarmed and
frightned that some Accident has happend
at Boston not having heard from you in a Long time. I have Levelled
the men here into five Companies of forty men each and given
the Command of two of the Companies to John McDonald and Ranold
McKinnan as Captains. I dare say our Regiment is Six hundred
strong now every where they are. I will say no Morebut
god send me good accounts from you and I ever am Dr
Major

Yours Sincerely.

To MAJOR SMALL.

Halifax 29th december
1775

DR
MAJOR

Since writing my Last of date
24th I have to acquaint You that Ensign Hamilton has taken in
his head to forsake our Regiment, for being a Lieutenant and
Adjutant in this Regiment of Millitia that Governor Legg is Going
to raise and he Expects that General How will allow him to Sell
his Ensigncy in Ours, for which he Expects to get three hundred
pound. If this is to be the Case we may Expect nothing but Changing
and Chaping of Officers every day. People will get Liberty of
making a trade of getting Commissions and Selling them as for
his going out of the Regiment I would not hinder him a bit. I
hope in God that our Second Battalion Commissions are out not
only that but that two Companies more will be added to Each Battalion
and I hope a fourth field officer. I gave you a hint before of
my Eldest boy being twelve years of age and that I have seen
Officers Children even bastards get Commissions at three years
of age, witness Lt
Colonel Alexander Campbell at the havannah and I think it would
Not be adoeing a great deal of injustice either to the Regiment
or the Army to give My Child an Ensigncy. My old friend General
Grant will join his Intrest in this with Yours in procuring it.
In reguard to getting Men Ranold McKinnan and John McDonald asures
me that they will get five hundred Men in NfLand If they are
properly Supported, in the first place they must have there Commissions,
transports, with provisions, a beating order Signed by the Commander
in Chief, worded in the Strongest terms, requiring and Commanding
the Governor or Commanding Officer in NfLand and all Magistratesto give their Outmost asistance.
Had this been done Last Summer as I often required we might have
had five hundred men more than we have. I am in haste, Dr
Major yours Sincerly